7/25/2020
9 SAR The Ballston (GII)
$300.000 4yo&Up F&M 1 1/16m InTurf 123lbs
Rules Are Madness is about as tough a filly as you could want and she proved it again Saturday as she sat mid-pack while not far from the pace, and made a head-turning move when the money was on the line to take The Ballston (GII) by a length in a final time of 1:393, just a few ticks off of the stakes record. Angel Shark came from way, way, way back in an attempt to make a race out of it, a length in front of Maggie Greene in third.
Eleven went to the gate on the inner turf course here at The Spa, and as the bell rang and the gates sprang open, Maggie Greene on the outside of Bewitching for the early lead, Proud Eights and Too Much Wisdom from the rail, Rules Are Madness next to that pair, Cest And Me was next, Zee Model on her outside and Franke towards the inside, Dream Whisper was next, Angel Shark and Silly Sue was the early trailer.
Around the clubhouse turn and on to the back stretch, they had five and a half furlongs to run and Maggie Greene was on the lead and three wide. Zee Model up four wide, Proud Eights and Too Much Wisdom back towards the hedge, a gap to Bewitching, Rules Are Madness on her inside, then another gap back to Franke along the inside, Cest And Me, Dream Whisper making three across the track, two more back to Silly Sue and Angel Shark wide and last.
The field made their way down the backside an moved into the far turn with three-eighths of a mile to run, Zee Model now wrestled to the lead by a length, Maggie Greene to her inside, two back to Proud Eights, Too Much Wisdom on her inside and Bewitching three wide. Rules Are Madness trying to move forward between horses, Dream Whisperer four wide, Silly Sue and Angel Shark was still the back markers.
Into the lane and moving past the furlong marker, Rules Are Madness looked like she was shot out of a cannon, moving up to take the lead in bold fashion… Maggie Greene battling back towards the inside, Zee Model between that pair, Proud Eights looking for racing room, then a line of four giving chase… the run to the wire was on.
Inside the final 150-yards and to the finish, this was all about Rules Are Madness as the bay filly powered home to win by a length. Angel Shark closed from out of the skies to grab second, a length in front of Maggie Greene. Zee Model was nosed out and fourth, just a nose in front of Franke in fifth. Silly Sue was sixth, Bewitching seventh, Proud Eights eighth, Too Much Wisdom ninth, Dream Whisperer tenth and Cest And Me closed this one out.
Rules Are Madness is a 4yo bay filly by Broomstick Prince – Mad Laffin by Sturgis, and she was bred here in NY by Nakamura Stables. Claimed for a mere $20.000 back in April of last year, the Angelos Stable trained filly now has ten wins from twenty-two starts and earnings of $1,168.470. That is win number three this season and she looks ready to add to her earnings in a big way as we move thru the summer.
$2 Mutuel Prices:
| 4 – Rules Are Madness | 8.30 | 4.50 | 2.90 |
| 12 – Angel Shark | 7.80 | 4.40 | |
| 7 – Maggie Greene | 3.20 |
Track: Firm Time: :232 :464 1:10 1:393
$1 Exacta: 4 – 12 Paid 69.00 $1 Trifecta: 4 – 12 – 7 Paid 221.80
Scratched: Delinquent Assembly
Rules Are Madness rated back to mid-pack while never far from the lead, inside position to the far turn, swung five wide for the drive, accelerated when asked, took over at the furlong marker, won driving. Angel Shark was outrun to the top of the lane, cut the corner, closed full of run to be second best. Maggie Greene led early, ceded to track the pace to the top of the lane, took over to the furlong marker, flattened out a bit late with no excuse. Zee Model broke in hand, up to take the lead midway down the backside, drifted a bit into the lane, tired. Franke gave an even effort while no threat. Silly Sue lacked speed well off of the pace, passed tiring rivals. Bewitching broke alertly, tracked the pace to the far turn, tired. Proud Eights shows good speed for seven furlongs while tracking the pace, tired. Too Much Wisdom tracked the early pace, tired. Dream Whisperer was never involved, outrun. Cest And Me was no factor, tired.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
